Key says Obama liked his 'fetching pink shirt'

PM John Key with US President Barack Obama at the Asean
Summit in Cambodia last night. Photo by Alan Gibson.

The notion of homogenous leaders' summit-wear really took
hold in Apec in 1991 when US President Bill Clinton made
everyone wear a bomber jacket in Seattle.

Jim Bolger couldn't have been more pleased to wear the
fabulous looking gear.

Having become known over time as the "silly-shirts" photo
opportunity, they were too silly for Russian President
Vladimir Putin, who abandoned the practice at the Apec
meeting in Vladivostok this year.

Happily for the press, the East Asia Summit has kept them.

While some of the leaders looked resplendent in traditional
Cambodian silk shirts, John Key looked, well, a little gay,
in hot pink silk with bulging shoulder pads.

Mr Key described it later as "fetching". And he said others
had thought so too.

"That was broadly along the lines that the President [Barack
Obama] described it as too," he said with barely suppressed
delight.

But forget any suggestion that Mr Key may have chosen the
colour himself by way of acknowledging the offence he caused
when he teased a radio host for wearing a "gay red shirt".

His office simply supplied the measurements and he was
delivered the pink number.

However, the shirts have a serious purpose - to give a sense
of unity and homogeneity where it doesn't actually exist. It
also reinforces New Zealand's place as part of Asia.

Mr Bolger was mocked when he declared back in the 90s that
New Zealand was part of Asia.

As each year goes by and New Zealand's engagement with Asia
deepens, Mr Bolger could be regarded as more prophetic.